The Influence of Number in Chinese and Western Culture

Wang Shujun

【Abstract】Numeral not only has the numerical symbol， but also is the important constituent of language， and it also expresses the rich cultural connotation besides the literal meaning.This article emphatically will carry on the analysis to the mystique and the metaphor between Chinese and Western numeral culture in order to help the people to understand some special numeral culture phenomenon thoroughly in the Trans-Culture exchange process which will make the cultural exchange smoother.

【Key words】Numeral Culture； Metaphor； Mystique

1.The Mystique and the Metaphor Meaning of Cultural Figures

1.1 In Chinese and Western Cultures Numeral Appraisal Good and Bad Fortune Metaphor Significance

The odd number is regarded as in the Western culture the extraordinarily good luck（“13”exception）， they think the even number concealment fission.“3”is a comparison a numeral which is welcome the westerner， expresses“the whole”， “the integrity”significance.In the Western idea， in the universe all phenomena all may divide into three parts， like long， affable high； In the past， present and future； Starts， middle and the conclusion； Morning， noon and night； Father， mother and children and so on.Another depth the numeral which is liked the westerner is “7”（it is said source Yu Zhigu gambles“7”wins） If is all the rage global the spy novel and the series movie is named as“007”； But in the odd number the only exception“13” has actually become in the Western culture number Peru mark.Moreover the numeral“five”and“ten”， in Chinese's esthetic psychology all is complete， complete， the propitious symbol.The people pursue perfectly， truly in， also yearns for bumper grain harvest， multi-colored.Thus offers birthday congratulations each kind of celebration from the birthday take“ten”to become our country's traditional custom as Daqing， and becomes the national disposition an important constituent.If talks about the numeral which the Chinese abstained from， that majority person can think immediately possibly all is“four”.Because it with“dies”the harmonics， really gives the human not the good sign.

Our Chinese culture advocates the odd number with the opposite meaning.The Chinese culture regards the even number as the lucky number， and takes the lucky symbol happily.First take“six”as the example： The folk had since old times“66 is suitable”“complete in both， 66”and so on the lucky language.We also have the idiom“six Ma Yangmo”（analogy music wonderfully interesting to listen to， Lian Ma the also indigestion listens attentively）； “Six four ward off”（analogy all to understand in all directions）.Because but another numeral“eight” with“sends”the harmonics， has become the present reddest star numeral， as if had“eight”， can make（wealth）.The businessmen all like it.But westerns think“8”two“0”connection， thus is widely regarded does continues has to both sexes the special significance， is precisely the stable harmonious god.

2.Judgments of the Reasons Good and Bad Metaphor Figures

2.1 Comes from Certain Cultural Myths

The religion and the superstition took source of the cultural ancient myth to the different national disposition formation； the cultural accumulation has had the huge influence.Take“13”as the example， the reason that“13”becomes the Western top-quality big death anniversary， nothing else but myth and“Holy Bible”two big sources.The myth mentions from Northern Europe： Receives cordially in a heaven died in battle the officers and men hero soul at the banquet， some 12 gods dine together.Has come unexpected visitor evil spirit Rockey at the session， has brought the disaster for the various gods， causes at the banquet the numerous gods child of-light god Barr Germany the first Odin to get killed.Hereafter， the numerous god cliffs is unable to recover after a setback.The thoughts in the Bible spreads broadly.When Jesus and his disciple advance together the supper， because in 13 people has a rebel's betraying， causes Jesus to nail tight on the cross.

2.2 Comes from Certain Cultural Worldview and the Methodology

West from the ancient Greece on the emphasis contradictory conflict and the two-pole opposition dichotomy， therefore the Western nationality heavy opposition， thought is not harmonious is America.The China nationality is just the opposite， respected and believed in the masculine and feminine elements dualistic theory since old times， heavy harmonious， heavy order， both were mutually the interdependence， the order guarantee harmony， the harmony promotes the order， thought the entity interior each kind of opposition factor balanced and harmonious was maintains the entity stably， the survival basic condition.This kind of worldview and the methodology manifest in the esthetic point of view， then created the westerner to advocate the odd number， but Chinese take even number as beautifully for lucky appreciation psychology.This also on no wonder English beautiful women “3”， “7”regarding as saint number， but our Chinese“six”， “ten”regarded as the lucky number.

3.Numeral Mystique

Nine is a mystical number to Westerners， being a trinity of trinities.The number nine has been held of particular mystic significance.There were nine muses.In Pagan iconography nine came to symbolize the nine fold manifestation of the three-fold Goddess， here nine becomes the number for the arts and sciences expressed for popular delight.Now the celestial realm is divided into the nine spheres of the heavens， the sun， the moon， the five planets， the fixed stars， and the premium mobile.Niobe's children lay nine days in their blood before they were buried.The water-snake Hydra has nine heads.Deucalion（the Greek counterpart of Noah）'s ark was tossed about for nine days when it stranded on the mount Parnassus， a mountain near Delphi， Greece There were nine rivers of Hell.The Styx encompassed the infernal regions in nine circles.In Paradise Lost， Milton makes the gate of Hell “thrice three-fold，”with nine plates， and nine linings.When the fallen angels were cast out of heaven Milton says“nine days they fell.”

Chinese think nine of celestial power.Heaven was believed to have nine layers.The ninth heaven is the highest.The nether world is called“nine springs”（九泉）.In the feudal time， nine related to the Emperor and power九五之尊.In the Eight Diagrams the line“nine and five”is dedicated to emperor.There are nine great social laws and classes of officials.China was divided into nine administrative regions.The number of steps is the multiple of nine.At the gate of the Forbidden City， there are nine and nine door-tacks.Other sacred times of the calendar were based on seven， the seventh or sabbatical year.

References：

[1]Liu Wenhong.On the Cultural Distinctions of Numbers between English and Chinese[J].Journal of Shaoyang College（Philosophy and Social Science），2004（04）.

[2]Ming Anyun.The Cultural Distinctions of Numbers between English and Chinese[J].Journal of Hubei University（Philosophy and Social Science），2002（05）.

[3]陳衛(wèi)國，梁真惠.英漢數(shù)字文化聯(lián)想意義探析[J].昌吉學(xué)院學(xué)報(bào)，2006（03）.

[4]陳運(yùn)香.塞爾的隱喻理論與漢英數(shù)字文化內(nèi)涵對比[J].安陽師范學(xué)院學(xué)報(bào)，2005（01）.